Published: Friday, May 3, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 11:41 a.m.

For the first time since 2005, an area high school athlete has been awarded the top honor given by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

At the NCHSAA's annual meeting on Thursday at the Dean Dome in Chapel Hill, Hendersonville senior track and field and volleyball standout Hailey Cook was named the recipient of the state's Female Athlete of the Year award.

The last area girls athlete to receive the NCHSAA's Pat Best Memorial Trophy was former West Henderson High standout Jesse Sims, who won the award in 2005. The only other area female athlete to win the award was former HHS volleyball and basketball standout Molly Pyles in 2001.

"It was an amazing experience, and it was really surreal," Cook said following her Senior Play on Thursday night at around 10 p.m. "I was totally surprised. It's a great honor to win this with so many other great athletes in the state."

She had to be at Hendersonville High at 5:45 a.m. to make the trip to Chapel Hill, but the long day was one she'll never forget.

"This was a really big day, and it was so exciting for all of us. It's a blessing," Mark Cook, Hailey's father, said as he was waiting for his daughter to finish her interview with the media following the meeting. "We actually had no idea we were even in the running for it until about a week ago when we got the notice. I'm so proud... this is a great day for Hailey."

She currently has a school-record 10 state titles to her credit (two team titles and eighth individual titles), and she is heavily favored to win two more individual state titles at the 1-A state track meet later this month.

Her track and field coach all four years of her high school career, Pam Bolton, said all of Cook's hard work paid off.

"I can't imagine anyone else in the state who is more deserving than Hailey to receive this award. She's done so much in her high school career, winning eight individual titles and two team titles. She still has a very good chance of winning two more state titles. I'm just so happy for her," Bolton said.

The HHS track team will be competing Saturday in the 1-A West Regional meet in Cherokee and then next week at N.C. A&T for the state championship meet.

Hailey Cook is headed to Western Carolina, where she will compete in track and field and also get a chance to play volleyball. She earned Most Valuable Player honors in the 1-A state championship volleyball match in the fall, as she helped lead the Lady Bearcats to their state-record 10th state title.

Her personal bests are 141 feet, 8 inches in discus and 45 feet, 1/2 inch in shot put, and both are school records.

Following the ceremony, the Cooks and Bolton had to turn around and make the return trip to Hendersonville for another big event that starts tonight.

"Hailey has three parts in the Senior Play 'Hairspray' that starts tonight, so we have to make it back to the school to get ready for that," Mark Cook said.

This year's NCHSAA Male Athlete of the Year award went to Northern Guilford three-sport star T.J. Logan. Logan led the football team to three straight state titles. In basketball, he was a three-time all-conference selection and averaged 15.5 points per game this season, and in track and field, he earned the 200-meter dash title last year and was runner-up in the 100 dash.

"On behalf of our Board of Directors and the entire membership of the NCHSAA, we congratulate these outstanding student-athletes on their tremendous achievements during their high school careers," said Davis Whitfield, commissioner of the NCHSAA. "Both have extremely impressive credentials which are in the same vein as previous winners of this award, and we certainly wish them well in their future pursuits."

There have been just two area athletes who have won the NCHSAA Male Athlete of the Year: Polk County's Jim Ollis in 2004 and Brevard's Manny DeShauteurs in 2000.

NCHSAA ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

area athletes in bold

Female Recipients

Pam Doggett, Dudley 1985-86

Andrea Stinson, North Mecklenburg 1986-87

LeAnn Kennedy, Trinity 1987-88

Danyel Parker, Clinton 1988-89

Karen Davis, Forbush 1989-90

Christy Cagel, Hayesville 1990-91

Wendy Palmer, Person County 1991-92

Holly Hill, Southwestern Randolph 1992-93

Jamie Parsons, Millbrook 1993-94

Aedrin Murray, Chatham Central 1994-95

Shea Ralph, Terry Sanford 1995-96

Jackie Houston, Kings Mountain 1996-97

Clifeteana McKiver, East Duplin 1997-98

Anna Tharrington, Southern Nash 1998-99

Courtney Willis, Terry Sanford 1999-00

Molly Pyles, Hendersonville 2000-01

Katrelle Armwood, Durham School of Arts 2001-2002

Anna Evans, Lumberton 2002-2003

Eva Baucom, Forest Hills, 2003-2004

Jesse Sims, West Henderson, 2004-05

Megan Zullo, Farmville Central, 2005-06

Gabby Mayo, Southeast Raleigh, 2006-07

Janetta Robinson, Pender, 2007-08

Ali Ford, Freedom, 2008-09

Leah Mackley, Pender, 2009-10

Courtney Melvin, East Bladen, 2010-11

Lindsay Page Simpson, Franklin, 2011-12

Hailey Cook, Hendersonville, 2012-13

Male Recipients

Patrick Lennon, Whiteville 1985-86

Robert Siler, Jordan-Matthews 1986-87

Chester McGlockton, Whiteville 1987-88

Ethan Albright, Grimsley 1988-89

David Inman, Terry Sanford 1989-90

Mike Kendall, Albemarle 1990-91

Rusty LaRue, Northwest Guilford 1991-92

Tyrone Westmoreland, South Iredell 1992-93

Brian Roseboro, T.W Andrews 1993-94

Na Brown, Reidsville 1994-95

Titcus Pettigrew, West Forsyth 1995-96

Tyrell Godwin, East Bladen 1996-97

Julius Peppers, Southern Nash 1997-98

Nick Maddox, A.L. Brown 1998-99

Manny DeShauteurs, Brevard 1999-00

Derrele Mitchell, R. J. Reynolds 2000-01

AJ Davis. Northern Davis 2001-2002

Drew Williamson, Cummings 2002-2003

Jim Ollis, Polk County 2003-2004

Terrell Hudgins, Rocky Mount, 2004-2005

Kendric Burney, Southwest Onslow, 2005-06

Dee Bost, Concord, 2006-07

E.J. Abrams-Ward, Thomasville, 2007-08

Tyler Shatley, East Burke, 2008-09

Kareem Martin, Roanoke Rapids, 2009-10

Romar Morris, Shelby, 2010-11

Tevin Hester, Granville Central, 2011-12

T.J. Logan, Northern Guilford, 2012-13

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